CONSTELLATIONS
What is a constellation?
A constellation is a group of stars that forms a particular shape in the sky.
There are 88 known constellations today.
Not all constellations can be seen all the time because they are in our sky during the day time. �As we orbit the sun different constellations become visible.
What do we use constellations for?
Constellations are helpful for navigating
ships or aircraft.
Constellations play a large role in Greek mythology. Each constellation has a story associated with it.������We will look at a few of the most common constellations.
Cassiopeia- The Queen
Queen Cassiopeia was so conceited about her good looks, as punishment she was put in the sky upside-down.
Cygnus- The Swan
Cygnus and his friend Phaeton flew too closely to the sun in their chariots and Phaeton fell to the bottom of a river. Zeus gave Cygnus the body of a swan so he could dive into the river and retrieve his friend's body and give him a proper burial.
Gemini- The Twins
The twins, named Castor and Pollux, were given immortality by Zeus and placed in the night sky.
Leo- The Lion
Leo could not be killed by mortal weapons with claws sharper than any sword and skin so tough no arrow could pierce it. Hercules eventually tracked him down and strangled him.
Orion- The Hunter
Orion was a great hunter with a bow but was killed by Scorpius who stung him in the heel.
Scorpius- The Scorpion
Orion was a great hunter with a bow but was killed by Scorpius who stung him in the heel.
Taurus- The Bull
Zeus was in love with Europa, and disguised himself as a beautiful bull to charm her. She climbed onto the bull's back and Zeus kidnapped her and put a picture of a bull in the night sky.
Ursa Major- The Big Dipper
Zeus was in love with Callisto. He turned Callisto into a bear so his wife Hera wouldn't see her. While in bear form, Callisto's son shot the bear in the heart and killed his Mother.
Ursa Minor- The Little Dipper
In order to hide what he had done, Zeus changed Callisto's son into a bear as well and put them together in the night sky.
Ursa Minor includes Polaris, the North Star
Make a star finder!
The Zodiac
Early astrologers knew it took 12 lunar cycles (months) for the Earth to return to it's original position in orbit. 12 constellations were identified and assigned as zodiac signs.
What's your sign?
HELPFUL LINKS
All constellation photographs are CC licensed by T.Credner & S. Kohle on Wikimedia Commons